A/N: Tonks Point-of-View
"…Brimstone Potion burns off time from your life expectancy… " Tonks' eyes narrowed as she realized where this was possibly going and that she wouldn't like the outcome. "…This time, I lost nearly two years."
She hadn't expected it to be anywhere near that. A gasp escaped her lips as her mind blanked briefly under the weight before flashing over the events, realizing what she had cost him. As tears sprung to her eyes and her head began to shake back and forth wanting to deny it, his hand caught the side of her face and pulled her close to try and kiss her pain away. Moving his hand down her arm to her hands he held her, looking directly in her eyes.
"It was worth it. You're safe. The creature that attacked you is no more. Take comfort in that. I cannot promise how this war will end, or if I'll survive it. But I plan on spending every moment that I can either making you happy as mine or in keeping you safe."
She knew the price of war. It was a dark joke among aurors that they all came with an expiration date, sooner or later one tended to encounter a duel they couldn't win. All it took was that one slip up, that one curse fired too quickly, that one witch or wizard who you were out matched by, but to lose two years? She would never have asked him to do that. And apparently I don't have to. She thought as her heart gave an awkward tug that was a brutal mix of pain and warm appreciation.
There was no way she could voice half the things weighing on her heart or mind right now: the guilt and appreciation she felt over her rescue, the happiness associated with his offer, the fear and nerves still raw from earlier, the anger and frustration she felt toward this damn war, it all mixed into one great cacophony. She did the one thing she knew would help calm her down and reached up, pulling him into a kiss once more, hoping it would convey even half the things she couldn't find words for.
She pulled back slightly, still holding his face lightly with one hand, her lips millimeters from his, her eyes looking up at him. "My answer is yes," she said softly, but sincerely before leaning in again for another kiss. Her hand that was still held in Severus' grasp shifted so that the box containing the bracelet would be between them, held by both.